EBBW Vale are still striving for a balanced performance when they travel west to take on Llanelli on Saturday (kick-off 12.30pm).

The Steelmen suffered a second loss of the Principality Premiership season when downed 26-24 by Cross Keys at Eugene Cross Park last weekend.

Ebbw rallied from 26-8 down in the second half but were swift to acknowledge the visitors were good value for the win and must now rally for their journey to Parc y Scarlets.

They scored eight tries when winning at a canter 51-0 in the corresponding fixture last season but things promise to be tighter this time around.

"Last week was a really good game against a cracking Cross Keys team but unfortunately our comeback was too little, too late," said skills coach Nick Wakley.

"It was a tough game and we are constantly learning under Nigel (Davies, head coach who took over in the summer) and improving on some of the new things he has implemented.

"We are still looking to marry our performances of backs and forwards together – one is dominant one week then it's the other the next – and when we do I think we could give somebody a real thumping."

The Steelmen were on the receiving end of such a thumping last time they travelled west, shipping 50 points without reply at Llandovery at the end of last month.

"Llanelli will have picked apart that performance but that was just a bad day at the office. I'm sure they will target our lineout, which wasn't great against Keys," said Wakley.

"It's a great track in Llanelli and they will come at us with a high tempo but we did a good job at Parc y Scarlets last season, getting that balance we are looking for, so hopefully we can repeat that and challenge them with ball in hand."